1771 – Interior Decorative Schemes for Headfort House, Co. Meath

Architect: Robert Adam

B1975.2.792

Headfort House, Eating Parlor, CeilingHeadfort House. Eating Parlor, End WallSection of one End of the ParlorSection of one End of the ParlorHeadfort House: Eating Parlor, Window SideDesign for finishing the Chimney side of the Eating Parlor. for The Right Hon.ble The Earl of Bective.Headfort House: Eating Parlor, Chimney PieceHeadfort House: Eating Parlor CeilingDesign for Finishing the Four Sides of the HallDesign of a Cieling for the HallDesign of a Ceiling for the Saloon for the Right Honble. Earl of BectiveDesign of a Ceiling for the Lady's Room over the Saloon for the Right Honble. Earl of BectiveSection of one side of the Staircase next the HallSection of one side of the Staircase opposite the Windows.Section of one side of the StaircaseSection of the Window side of the Staircase. For the Right Hon.ble The Earl of Bective.Design of a Cieling for the Staircase. For The Right The Earl of Bective.

Designs for internal decorative schemes for Headfort House – the house designed by George Semple in 1769. Between 1771 and 1775, Robert Adam was commissioned by the 1st Earl of Bective to design a suite of rooms for the newly completed house. Adam had previously worked for Bective’s father-in-law, Hercules Rowley at Langford House in Dublin in 1765. Adam produced designs for the decorative treatment of the entrance and staircase halls, a ‘Lady’s Room’ and the magnificent ‘Eating Parlor’. The designs for the ‘Eating Parlor’ show an initial proposal to construct a barrel vaulted ceiling instead of the flat deep coved ceiling built.

The ‘Eating Parlor’ merged two rooms at ground level with the rooms above these on the first floor. Adjoining the ‘Eating Parlor’ is the Saloon which was also completed to Adam’s design with a central painted medallion of Bacchus and Ariadne surrounded by eight smaller medallions.s. Adam’s drawings for the staircase illustrate proposals for decorative treatments on all three level, which was never completed. Similarly his design for the entrance Hall were also not executed as planned. Both spaces do however have fine ceiling designs by Adam.

Published January 23, 2013 | Last Updated February 13, 2024